Paludamentum

Description

"The cloak worn by a Roman general commanding an army, his principal officers and personal attendants, in contradistinction to the sagum of the common soldiers, and the toga or garb of peace. It was the practice for a Roman magistrate, after he had received imperium from the comitia curiata and offered up his vows in the capitol, to march out of the city arrayed in the paludamentum, attended by his lictors in similar attire, nor could he again enter the gates undil he had formally divested himself of this emblem of military power. The paludamentum was open in front, reached down to the knees or a litle lower, and hung loosely over the shoulders, being fastened across the chest by a clasp. The colour of the paludamentum was commonly white or purple, and hence it was marked and remembered that Crassus no the morning of the fatal battle of carrhae went forth in a dark-coloured mantle." — Smith, 1873